Look for this Lawrence Welk Episode

My mom has been looking out for me for anything Tiki or Hawaiian. A couple of weeks ago she was watching our local PBS station and recorded a special rebroadcast of a Lawrence Welk show that was entirely Hawaiian tunes, 60's print aloha wear, and a great stage set with Thatched huts, and fake volcanos. Unfortunately, my mother recorded it from her back room tv which happens to be the only tv not hooked up to the Satellite system I installed. I can make out some really cool stuff and the audio sounds ok but on the whole the quality is dismal.

This is definitely vintage tiki in all of its mainstream glory. If anyone has recorded this episode and would be willing to share, let me know. To be sure, I just joined the Lawrence Welk Chat group on yahoo in hopes I could mooch it from someone there. I found the episode details on a fansite and attached them below.

This would be a great addition to all of our tiki video libraries.

Thanks,

Da Monkeyman

Hawaiian Memory Show
Host: Lawrence Welk
Sept. 9, 1972

Episode Song List

1 - On the Beach at Waikiki
2 - Pearly Shells
3 - Unidentified
4 - Song of the Islands
5 - Beyond the Reef
7 - Oh We’re Going to the Hukilau
8 - Tiny Bubbles
9 - Paradise
10 - The Cockeyed Mayor of Kaunakakai
11 - Hawaiian Wedding Song
12 - Blue Hawaii
13 - Drifting and Dreaming
14 - Sweet Leilani
15 - In Hawaii
16 - Hawaiian War Chant
17 - Now Is the Hour
18 - Lovely Hula Hands
19 - Pagan Love Song
20 - Aloha, Farewell to Thee

I am a HUGE L.W. fan - let me know if you get a tape - i wanna copy!!!

Wow, the original airdate is 6 days before I was born.

I'll set the TIVO to record all episodes. It shouldn't take that long, it only ran for what, about 27 years?

a'wunnerful, a'wunnerful

.....early 60's, every Saturday evening my grandparents would watch The Lawrence Welk Show followed by....................Polka Parade!!!!!......Both sponsered by Cal Worthington and his dog Spot. Commercials were in a studio and not on his car lot. Yeah O.K. I'm old......

I was so disappointed when I learned that Cal Worthington (and his dog Spot) wasn't standing on his head to make a deal only for Seattlites.

Ms. Capri,

I found a lady on the Lawrence Welk Yahoo groups who has an extra unopened copy and is willing to sell it to me. When I get it I will let you know. Perhaps we could have a group viewing at a future tiki central socal party. (somewhere where we have access to a VCR)

Da Monkeyman

i wuz lucky enough to catch 1/2 of this episode on vhs, it is premium! I can share, but is only partial...

Yes, I saw that episode a couple of weeks ago too and it was truly a classic! I thought it was fantastic but didn't share it with anyone at the time because I didn't want to admit to beeing such a geek, ha. In my more naive years I would never have watched LW and probably would have poked fun at anyone who did. Now, I can truly appreciate it. The camp factor just doesn't get any higher than in this episode. I would also like to obtain a copy if anyone wants to share. I'll gladly pay for shipping, blank tape, & whatever other expenses.

ModMana :drink:

This is wonderful!
I volunteer Futura Girl's house on a Sunday Evening... let's do it!

On 2003-06-04 22:35, bongofury wrote:
.....early 60's, every Saturday evening my grandparents would watch The Lawrence Welk Show followed by....................Polka Parade!!!!!......Both sponsered by Cal Worthington and his dog Spot. Commercials were in a studio and not on his car lot. Yeah O.K. I'm old......

"If you need a set of wheels go see Cal,
He will stand up on his head to beat all deals,

I'll stand up on my head 'till my ears are turning red!

Go see Cal, go see Cal, go see Cal"

Oh, the memories of late night movies on KTLA.

On 2003-06-05 11:58, Cherry Capri wrote:
This is wonderful!
I volunteer Futura Girl's house on a Sunday Evening... let's do it!

When I get the tape, I will let you know. I would really like to see another Tiki Chateau. The drive up from Vista to your area shouldn't be that bad.

But a Saturday would be waaaaay better, tell her...

I have the LW tape on its way. After I review it to determine that it is the correct episode we can work out distribution details.

I have to tell you how the transaction unfolded. The lady who I purchased it from is a Senior Citizen from Missouri who is a member of the Lawrence Welk yahoo group (I only joined the group to find this tape). She told me she had the tape and would simply send it to me. She told me that after I reviewed it and determined it was the correct episode then I could send her payment. I responded with a thank you and told her that it was probably not a good idea for her to send out the merchandise first and expect payment later. This sweet lady responded with this.....

"I have no worry that you will pay me.. I think anyone that would be a fan of our Lawrence and enjoy his music must be a good person..so I trust you..completely."

A common interest that instills that kind of trust between strangers is very very rare.

I think I need to take a 20 minute drive out to Lawrence Welk village and see if I can't get her something special from the gift shop.

Once we get the collectibility issues aside (you know, rarity, greed, profiteering etc), I truly think that the Tiki Central group is cut from the same cloth as the Lawrence Welk fans.

Good group...good people

"This one goes out to all my Tiki Homies"
Dr. Evil-

Cool......

I have a menu from the Lawrence Welk Restaurant. "Sanka" was a featured beverage.

As young tots we used to watch Lawrence Welk with my grandparents every weekend.

Until next time...

Below is a link to the past and upcoming LW shows on PBS from the LW web site:

http://www.welkshow.com/newshow.html

Air Date: June 21, 2003
"Songs of the Island" Episode
Guy Hovis hosts an Imaginary Journey to Hawaii on this weeks episode.

[ Edited by: suzywong on 2003-06-05 21:46 ]

That would be on our local PBS affiliate, right Suzy?

I saw an episode recently while visiting my mom. She's now in an assisted living facility. They tend to leave her TV on all the time, for company I guess. We'd been talking about the old days, she was nodding off and I was sitting there getting some work done, when all of a sudden...THAT VOICE! I turned around and there he was on the tube, The Welkmeister himself, waving his baton and doing that well-remembered smile/grimace thing.

For a strange moment I thought I'd fallen asleep too and was dreaming myself back in my late grandmother's house, circa 1977...spooky! But comforting.

When I caught that episode a couple of weeks ago it wasn't just the original episode. It also included recent interviews with the "stars" of the show who gave their memories of making that show. There was also a narrator who interjected "behind the scenes" comments throughout. It was all so kitchy, but you know, they were very talented at what they did. Oh, and you should have seen the sets they were using...extremely elaborate and quite well done. And of course there was a big carved tiki right in the middle of everything.

ModMana :drink:

sundays are usually better at our house, cause saturdays always seem to book up with things to do and endless errands, plus everyone always seems to already have plans (go figure on a saturday!). sunday after dinner always seems to be a time when folks are free. If you were coming from the south - you could have a nice Sunday dinner at Damons on the way up? (about a 20 minute drive from our place)
so if folks are game - the offer for a larry welk viewing at our home stands. we're in the far north end of the san fernando valley in l.a.
the tv's not big screen - but it's big enough and if the weather's nice, you can watch it sitting it outside!
who's bringing the sanka? we'll see how it mixes with rum?

This has nothing to do with the show directly, I just thought I'd show two of the postcards that I have that are Lawrence Welk related.

The first postcard is as written on the back:
The Lawrence Welk Village Center, featuring the Lawrence Welk Theater-Museum, the Gift Gallery and many other fine shops & boutiques.

The second (bottom) postcard reads:
Diners at the Lawrence Welk Village Inn, Escondido, California, have a beautiful panoramic view of the golf course, the swimming pool, and the champagne glass fountain.

Here are 5 albums I was able to quickly grab here from my record stack at home, as well as the 4 album compilation of "Champagne Memories", which has a small amount of outside cover wear, but the records inside are as if the they have never been played and has the original inserts on the making of the compilation:

I've literally have about a thousand LP's at my storage unit, so I'd have to see if I have any Welk~Hawaiian albums.

Hmmm...anyone willing to experiment on a rum, champagne and sanka cocktail?

Don't mock sanka.:drink::wink:

Probably getting off-topic, but I remember staying at LW Village one time as a kid - I think we went there for my grandparents' 50th anniversary. I don't remember much, except for the giant champagne glass complete with working bubbles. I also remember running into a sliding glass door while playing with my cousin.

-Randy

i am digging this thread up because i wanted to say we're still into hosting a larry welk night - it's just that the vegas pad has taken up our time since july - but come the fall - let's do it...

Hey, I'm glad this thread resurfaced. I've been meaning to ask Mr. Monkeyman how I can obtain a copy of this tape but everytime I see him I completely forget to ask! So while I'm remembering now --

"Hey Monkeyman, how do I obtain a copy of this tape?"

For $75 each, I will make you a copy of this RARESHAGEAMESRETROTIKILUAUVINTAGEHIPSTERBOSKOWELK Video.

Just kidding. When I have some time, I will see if the B grade video has encryption on it. If not, I can make a copy(ies) at home.

This episode appears to be on PBS right now. I don't know if the episodes differ from market to market.

It is on right now on ETV in NC/SC. I'm recording it on my DVR, but I don't think I can put it onto a CD or anything. It just came on at 8pm so you still have time to catch most of it.

As perhaps the only member of Tiki Central who has actually earned money by playing in a Polka band, and also a regular Saturday night viewer of Lawrence Welk in the 70's, and also someone who even gave an autographed copy of Lawrence Welk's autobiography to his mother as a Christmas gift, I would definitely love to see this episode (and I just ordered a 1955 Hawaii Welk Hawaii episode from amazon)

I'm mostly curious about what Hawaiian tune Myron Floren will play his accordian to ... (I'm hoping for Hawaiiian War Chant) and also, what tunes will the permanently smiling Bobby and Cissy dance to.

Polynesian Pop doesn't get better then this, when a band leader originally born in North Dakota in 1892 dedicates an entire show to Hawaiian/Polynesian music.

I must add that my parents (who live in Wisconsin), about 10 years ago visited Hawaii for the first time. It was a group package tour, and they traveled with the band named 'Tuba Dan and the Polkalanders' I have some great shots of my parents from that tour, that I'll have to post here some day.

Its all so wunnerful, wunnerful.

Vern

OK Monkeyman get going cause I want my tiki video now.. I am definately inn as soon as you find it. I would love to play it and make some tropical drinks, and the rest is history.

Put me in for the video too Monkeyman......you may have seen these LW bandmembers side projects before....

The Hawaiian Guitars of Buddy Merrill....

and LW presents.....

Love the torch art

Doesn't the PBS Cahnnel usually offer copies of their shows for sale? I would like a copy also. I'll try to find out.

I just received, and watched, the videotape of the Lawrence Welk episode, and I couldn't resist providing some comments. if you're planning on watching this show soon, you might want to stop reading now, so I don't spoil anything.

1. The tape started with The Lawrence Welk script logo being superimposed on top of a picture of - believe it or not - the space age looking Encounter restauarnt at the L.A. airport. Welk then appeared in front of footage of the Western airline jet, wearing a striped suit that was very mafia looking.

2. Most of the show is done on the lawn by the ocean of the Sheraton Waikiki. Lawrence and the members of the orchestra all wear light blue, somewhat paisley, Hawaiiana suits. I was hoping to get a close-up of the fabric, but this never happened. The colors of most outfits throughout the show are definitely noticable, with an emphasis on bold patterns and primary colors.

3. There are no tikis, no alcohol drinks, and no native dancing women seen on the tape (all hula dancing is done by members of Welk's troupe) The audience is definitely middle-aged and older folk. This show, recorded in 1972, catches the very tail end and remnants of the 1950's fascination with Hawaii. I had the feeling that the cooler crowd in Honolulu at the time was either elsewhere, watching some Don Ho show, sucking a few drinks .... or still sleeping in their rooms, resting up for another night of drinking and debauchery.

Performance / Songlist

1. 'On the Beach at Waikiki' - the bright bouncy group ensemble number - great costumes.

2. 'Pearly Shells' by Clay Hart (with a blow dryed John Davidson style haircut) and two women named Sandi, and Sally. Nicely done.

3. some anonymous dance music, featuring accordions, clarinets, and shots of old folk dancing. For some reason ,there was also a much younger couple dancing - the guy was wearing a t-shirt, the only t-shirt I saw in the entire show. Were t-shirts such a generational thing back then?

4. 'Beyond the Reef' sung by the Champagne lady Norma Zimmer, in a room at the Surfrider Hotel. Pretty lame ... forget the champagne, I'll stick with the mai-tai

5. 'South Pacific' medley, conducted by George Cates. I liked this one, as Bali Hai, even when played by accordion, is a favorite song of mine. I was familiar with George's 'Polynesian Percussion' LP, and it was neat to finally see him, with his Mitch Miller-like beard .... although I couldn't help but wonder if he really wanted to bust loose with a much wilder, primitive arrangement.

6. 'Hukilau' sung by Tanya. This was fun, as they brought up some audience members to do a hula dance. One guy has a huge pot-belly, and very stiff body movements, but that didn't stop him from doing the hula, There is a lesson there for all of us.

7. 'Tiny Bubbles' sung by Gail and Dale, as they ascend the elevator to the Sheraton rooftop restaurant. This footage somehow reminded me of the very first scenes of a bad 70's porn reel, which had me giggling a bit, and wondering what a sequel song would be, if the Welk bunch were not so straight-laced and a bit more devil-ish.

8. 'Paradise' A dance number by the ever smiling Bobby, and his partner Cissy. Very nice, very fluid, with choreography that reminded me of a ice-skating competition.

9. 'The Cock-eyed Mayor of Kaunakakai' sung by Gail Ferrel and Mary Lou Metzger. A bit of comedy relief, with an older guy dressed as the mayor who gets tossed in the pool at the end of the song.

10. 'The Hawaiian Wedding Song' sung by Ralna and Guy. Nicely done, but the couples standing straight and still in the background with their bright outfits reminded me either of a) that Christian Sunday morning show that was filmed in Cypress Gardens. b) an early 70's prom

11. 'Blue Hawaii' by Charlotte Deveny and Bob Ralston. This one was strange and made me feel uncomfortable - an instrumental version done with organ and cello. At the end, Welk appears and says 'very, very pleasant.' I don't believe he ever said the words 'Wunnerful, wunnerful' in this broadcast.

12. 'Drifting and Dreaming' -- with Arthur Duncan doing some tap-dancing. After watching this, I've decided that the Mai-Kai needs to add a tap-dancer to their stage show for the next Hukilau -- the precedence has been established.

13. 'Sweet Leilani' sung by Joe Feeney with the solo accordion playing of Myron Floren. This was a real highlight, as there was a line of older women, who would come up and kiss both Joe and Myron on the cheek - no tongue action though, cause Joe was singing. The best pair of cat-eye glasses is seen in this piece

14. 'In Hawaii' an original song, not destined to become a classic, is sung by Guy Hovis, as footage of a boat cruise was shown.

15. 'Hawaiian War Chant' by Sandi and Sally. This upbeat number is always fun, even when sung by the Welk gang. A lineup of guys would pop up from behind the canoe, and do the chanting chorus. If there was any song in the show that looks as if the cast members had been drinking beforehand, this was it.

16. 'Now is the Hour' sung by Norma Zimmer and Jimmy Roberts. I thought this was going to be another lame song, but by the end, I somehow found myself quite entranced with their melodies, and wishing that I had a grandfather like Jimmy Roberts.

17. 'Lovely Hula Hands' sung by Ken Delo. Bad haircut, but nice to see some hula dancing being done. For some reason, the rest of the cast watched this peformance while seated at a long buffet table stretched out on the lawn, with the audience members roped off behind them.

18. 'Pagan Love Song' by Bob Lido and his musical beachcombers. Ugh --- this did not fir in the Hawaiian theme at all. Dixieland jazz, done in a slapstick, comedic fashion -- featuring a solo on the spoons, and guys trying too hard to look real goofy. This piece definitely featured the worst suits of the entire evening.

19. 'Song of the Islands' performed, as stock footage of Hawaiian scenery was shown.

20. 'Aloha, Farewell' sung by the entire cast, as the camera slowly pans across all of their faces.

This was a worthwhile show to see, if only as a good snapshot for what white bread, wholesome, middle America's view of Hawaii was like in the early 70's.

Vern

[ Edited by: ikitnrev on 2004-06-24 23:36 ]

On 2003-06-05 16:20, Monkeyman wrote:
I have the LW tape on its way. After I review it to determine that it is the correct episode we can work out distribution details.

I sure would like to have my very own copy.......please let me know how I can score one.......
P.S. Good Job!!!!

Amazon.com has this video for sale, at $15 plus shipping. Just do a search under video with the words 'Lawrence Welk' and 'Hawaii' in the search box. It will return with an item that says 'Live From Hawaii - 1955' That 1955 is a mistake, and I have no idea where that came from.

Other websites might sell it too.

Vern

I think this episode is being aired again this weekend... at least it is on the PBS affiliate in my area (I get a PBS station from Burlington, Vermont)... check your listings.

I converted it to DVD and added a menu, chapters and created a clamshell jacket for it. Its a nice addition to my collection

Glad this thread came back -- I was unaware of this but would like to get the vid.; I'll check the Amazon reference. BTW, I assume I'm not the only one who has this, but then again I don't see it referenced: the album, "Songs of the Islands -- interpreted by Lawrence Welk -- featuring Buddy Merrill." This has always stuck in my mind as for some reason I expected very little of it based on the cover art, a goofy cartoonish scene, not lush at all. Also, the "Lawrence Welk factor..." didn't seem to promise overwhelming coolness, shall we say. But I remember how pleasantly surprised I was at the quality of the album. One of my favorite Hawaiian ones. (Sorry, no digicam yet.)

Bump, because I love me some Lawrence Welk.

The "Live from Hawaii" episode is a great color time capsule that, according to imdb, aired September 9, 1972. The VHS is still available on Amazon, but now it's around $90, so it's nice that it can be found on YouTube, even if it's not the greatest quality.

https://youtu.be/uth6Dg3iogs

(Still, I'd love a copy of the show transferred to DVD, so I anyone has one or wants to get rid of their VHS at a reasonable price....)

But that wasn't the only program Lawrence Welk did in Hawaii! The show first went to the islands shortly after Hawaii became a state and broadcast from the Royal Hawaiian's beachfront, complete with a giant tiki and some great songs with Buddy Merrill on steel guitar.

https://youtu.be/gT9sb1anYTY

[ Edited by: Hamo 2019-06-09 16:18 ]

Hamo, thanks for posting the YouTube links to the two vids. The 1960 episode besides the music is interesting in how the Dodge "hard sell" period commercials were presented. Steel guitar player Buddy Merrill is still alive at 83. (-:

Ah yes The Lawrence Welk Show. Being a mid-century show there were quite a few Hawaiian numbers throughout the years. Here are a onea, a twoa, a threea screen shots.

The 1960 show at Waikiki Beach. Here Lawrence with a classic tiki framed shot:

In 1961 in the studio the popular Lennon Sisters singing The Hawaiian War chant in a outrigger canoe:

Back in Waikiki and in color in 1972

I especially love the commercial midway through that starts with the man blowing the conch in the tree and then sweeps through the palms to the Dodge on the beach.

Thanks for those screenshots, creativenative; I added the 1960 one to the Tiki on Television thread.